Members of the Arts Program at GFWC Service Guild of Covington gathered at Covington City Hall to have Mayor Ronnie Johnston sign a Proclamation partnering the National Council for Art Education and the National Council for the Arts with Covington and Newton County schools, encouraging public support of quality student art programs.

Kelsey Upton was just 15 years old when she received a terrifying text from a registered sex offender in another state. The middle-aged man had seen a pornographic image of another woman that had been posted online along with Kelsey's name, phone number and address in Oxford.

The Covington City Council will vote on amending provisions of the electric system and water system ordinances during Monday's council meeting, possibly reducing city revenue by approximately $700,000.

A long time Covington citizen, Sarah Frances Hardeman, born to George Washington Thompson and Lillie Davis- Thompson in 1918, is being recognized and honored for her legendary acts and community service in Covington.

Brian Keith Terrell, the man convicted of killing 70-year-old John Watson in his Covington home in 1992 is scheduled to be executed March 10 at 7 p.m., Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens announced Friday.

The Newton County Sheriff's Office will hold its Citizen's Firearm Safety Course March 28, teaching the public on laws governing use of deadly force, firearm safety, at and away from the firing range, nomenclature of the basic revolver and semiautomatic pistols and giving citizens a chance to complete a course of fire at the Newton County Sheriffs Office Firing Range.

Ways to cut costs: Approximately 75 people braved rainy weather Thursday night to attend a budget forum at Alcovy High School. Parents were told about the current state of the budget and given an overview of potential cuts to the 2011-2012 budget. They were also able to ask questions of school system officials. See Sunday's edition of The Covington News for the full story.

Redistricting, in which new Census data is used to redraw congressional and legislative lines, had been handled through a state contract with the University of Georgia's nonpartisan Carl Vinson Institute of Government.

Eleven Newton football players signed college scholarships Wednesday as national signing day presented high school seniors throughout the country to officially choose the next stop of their playing career.